Book review
Written by Ian McDonald
Gollancz paperback
Release date 28 August 2008

A Jesuit priest struggles to find something worthy to replace his guilt as he embarks on a Heart of Darkness/Apocalypse Now journey into the Amazon in 1732; in Rio 2006, a vacuous TV producer finds herself with a starring role in the show of a lifetime; and a small-time entrepreneur is caught up in a multiverse-spanning conspiracy…

Much like its predecessor, Rivers of God, this is a big, sprawling, sexy, complex novel. In many cases, such multi-stranded narratives often find one frayed and weak, but in this case all three are gripping and as fully realised as each other. Of course, there are shades of The Mission, Heart of Darkness and, naturally, City of God underpinning this novel, but only in the broadest sense of setting and atmosphere.

The writing itself is full of gorgeous cinematic imagery – from a city of garbage supporting an entire economic ecosystem to a vast cathedral afloat on the Amazon. But it’s the characters that are the real driving force here. All three leads are hurled kicking and screaming into a reality dissolving around them and, as things fall apart, how they cope is what keeps you turning the page. The climax meanwhile is as epic as it comes.

So, what’s not to like? Not much really. The all-pervasive use of Brazilian slang and colloquialisms can get tiring, even with the aid of the glossary, but that’s small potatoes. The writing is energetic and economical, the story riveting, the denouement fascinating. Enjoy! Steve White

VERDICT: 7/10
An ambitious and riveting SF epic.

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